What Are Tarot Cards And How Do They Work?

on May 12, 2022

When we tell people we read and teach Tarot cards for a profession, one of the first things they ask is,

“What are Tarot cards and how do they work?”

The response may vary depending on who you ask and how they individually interact with the Tarot cards. That's because Tarot is merely a tool, and just like any other instrument, how you utilise it is entirely up to you.

However, because you've come to Medium Sources, we'd like to share our interpretation of how the Tarot works and how you may utilise it to obtain rapid access to your intuition and inner source of power and knowledge.

What Are Tarot Cards?

The Tarot deck consists of 78 cards, each with its unique artwork, symbolism, and tale. The 22 Major Arcana cards symbolise life's karmic and spiritual teachings, while the 56 Minor Arcana cards depict our everyday difficulties and tribulations.

There are 16 Tarot Court Cards in the Minor Arcana that symbolise 16 various personality traits that we may choose to display at any particular time. The Minor Arcana also comprises 40 numbered cards organised into four suits of ten cards each, depicting diverse scenarios we face on a daily basis.

What Are the Properties of Tarot Cards?

Some may argue that Tarot cards are nothing more than ink on paper. However, after reading the Tarot cards on a regular basis for over twenty years, we have observed the following:

Tarot is our life's tale, a mirror to our soul, and the key to our inner wisdom.

The seventy-eight Tarot cards contain every spiritual lesson we encounter in our life. And when we consult the Tarot, we will be taught the specific lessons we must learn and master in order to live an inspired life. It's similar to holding up a mirror to oneself in order to gain access to your subconscious mind. Tarot helps us to access the wisdom and answers that we all possess.

How Can We Make Use of Tarot Cards?

Tarot is ideal for self-development, decision-making, goal manifestation, coaching others, business planning, writing a book, meditating—you name it.

So, how do Tarot Cards function?

While many people assume that Tarot cards can foresee the future, making predictions is not the purpose of Tarot cards.

In Tarot, fortune-telling is out and intuition is in, especially if you want to build your perfect future and achieve your goals.

The most effective technique to interpret the Tarot is to utilise it to access your intuition and inner knowledge. The imagery in the cards allows you to instantly reach your subconscious mind and intuition. And it is from this point of inner strength and knowledge that you may learn how to make good adjustments today in order to realise your goals and ambitions in the future.

As an example…

Assume you wish to start a new love relationship. Instead of picking a card to see if Prince Charming is right around the corner and being either blissfully happy or tragically disappointed, you consult the cards to learn how to attract (and retain) love. You pull the Ten of Cups, and seeing the joyful family dancing beneath the rainbow in the card reminds you that in order to attract love, you must first have a clear image of what it is you wish to attract.

This simple act of visualising your ideal relationship has a small but profound influence on your capacity to discover fresh love, and instead of waiting for someone to find you, you are empowered to go out and find them.

Developing a Relationship

It's as though the Tarot cards instantly link to our subconscious brains, allowing us to access the inner wisdom of our Higher Self. We may then bring it into our conscious consciousness and take action from there. Isn't it cool?

And here's the thing: you could already be aware of the message or insight you receive from a Tarot reading, in which case the reading might be a reassuring confirmation of what you already know. Alternatively, you may be fully unconscious of the message until you see it reflected in the cards, in which case you are now empowered to act on your newfound understanding.

When Reading for Others, How Do Tarot Cards Work?

You are probably aware that the Tarot is a great instrument for self-discovery and manifestation. But it doesn't explain what occurs when you're reading for someone else and discover they're dating someone twenty years their junior and haven't informed anyone (actual story!). What's going on there?

Our Inner And Universal Wisdom

This is where things could become a little “out there” and amazing. We are all linked to universal wisdom as well as our own inner wisdom. And by reading the Tarot cards and connecting with our intuition, we may access this universal wisdom. It's similar to connecting with the group mind rather than simply the individual mind.

Inquiring About Others

You tap into this collective wisdom when you ask the Tarot cards a question on behalf of someone else (who has granted permission for the reading and whose energy is invested in the reading). You are receiving a variety of intuitive messages through the Tarot cards and your connection with the collective wisdom. And those insights are frequently powerfully transferred through you to the person you're reading for.

So, think what you – and the people you read for – might do with this endless, timeless information at your disposal!